Denny Premier A 2013/14

Kerry District League
Sunday May 25th
Castleisland AFC 3-2 St Brendans Park FC

By Tommy Naughton

Castleisland secured their place in this seasons Premier A league final with victory over rivals St Brendans Park . This game saw two very different styles of play with the home side very direct while the visitors were trying to be more patient and pass the ball around.

The game was less than a minute old when Sean Brosnan saw his free kick curl over the bar. St Brendans park stand in keeper for the day Fionn Coakley saved low to his right a minute later from a Jonathan Downey shot after good work on the right by Mike Hannafin.

The home side had started the better and nearly grabbed the lead but Shane O’Loughlin saw his over head attempt go the wrong side of the far post. The visitors slowly settled and took the lead on the twenty minute mark after a great passing move that involved five players. Sean Foley picked out Adam O Rourke on the left wing, he beat his marker before rolling the ball across the penalty area to Antony Murphy. Murphy first time rolled the ball to the edge of the box to the oncoming David Courtney who struck a low shot towards goal which looked to be going wide of the far post but Fergal Maunsel reacted to toe poke the ball home.

A minute later it was nearly all level but Maurice Hickey saw his header just graze the top of the bar. The Park should have doubled their lead when David Courtney set up Mike Conway but he mistimed his effort which in the end rolled harmlessly wide of the target.

The home side were now getting more dangerous as they won numerous amounts of frees with Sean Brosnan taking then all. Fionn Coakley did great on two occasions to hold two well hit free kicks. Adam O’Rourke saw his volley attempt go over on the half hour from a David Courtney cross.

Ten minutes before the break Stan Divane received a yellow card for trying to fool the referee by punching the ball goal wards. Fionn Coakley then parried a Sean Brosnan free and in a crowded goal mouth it was bundled towards the goal line only for Con Barrett to slid and clear to keep the Park ahead. The final chance of the half saw another free kick by Sean Brosnan floated into the danger area but Maurice Hickey couldn’t find the target with his header.

The second half was only a matter of minutes old when it was all level. A long Free kick by Kevin Moran in the Park penalty area saw Shane O’Loughlin getting on the end of it to head home, and within a minute they should have been ahead after Stan Divane set up Sean Brosnan who fired over from inside the penalty area.

Quarter of an hour into the second half and Fergal Maunsel saw his corner nearly find the net only for Aidan O’Callaghan to head of the line at the far post. Park introduced Mark O’Sullivan with 22 minutes remaining and with his first touch he saw his header cleared of the line by Shane O’Loughlin.

A minute later it looked very bad for the home side as Stan Divane received his second yellow and then a red for a late tackle on David Rogers. Castleisland immediately introduced Pierce Brosnan for Mike Hannafin. Kevin Moran then produced a moment of magic in the Castleisland goal when he saved low to his left to deny Mark O’Sullivan from just six yards out.

With 15 minutes remaining the home side took the lead when Sean Brosnan finally beat Coakley with a free kick. Brosnan’s free from well out side the area was perfect as it found the top corner giving the keeper no chance at all.

Just before the restart Fergal Maunsel was shown a yellow card for dissent and seconds after the restart he received a second yellow for a poor challenge and now both sides had ten men each.

Mike Conway then saw Kevin Moran save his deflated shot low to his left at the expense of a corner and from the corner Moran again saved from Conway who rose highest in the crowded penalty area.

The game was settled with seven minutes remaining by what is a major contender for goal of the season as Pierce Brosnan let fly from about ten yards inside the Park half and it flew past the helpless keeper to send the home side wild. Timmy Walsh who already had been booked and substituted was shown his second yellow for his celebrations.

Mark O’Sullivan pulled a goal back in injury time but it wasn’t enough for the away side who needed a win to keep their league dreams alive.Castleisland will now face Listowel Celtic in the Premier A league final which looks like to be played in two weeks time.

Castleisland AFC: Kevin Moran , Barry Lynch, Aidan o Callaghan , Maurice Hickey, Paul Carmody, Mike Hannafin, Shane o Loughlin, Timmy Walsh , Sean Brosnan, Jonathan Downey, Stan Divane. Subs – Pierce Brosnan for Mike Hannafin , Dean Poolman for Timmy Walsh .

St Brendans Park FC: Fionn Coakley, Fiachra Dunne, Con Barrett, David Magee, Sean Foley, Antony Murphy, David Rogers, Mike Conway, David Courtney, Fergal Maunsel , Adam o Rourke . Subs – Mark o Sullivan for Adam o Rourke .

Referee: Derek O’Shea